But after the first round, it was clear there wasn’t much of a competition.

LaVine, 19, was arguably the most-hyped dunker coming into the competition, and he put on a show the minute he stepped on the court. It started with an intro by Quad City DJs and was followed by a monstrous, between-the-legs dunk — on his first try — for a perfect first-round score of 50. (And if you prefer a slo-mo version, here you go.)

He returned in the second round with a behind-the-back one-handed slam that brought down the house. Score: 50.

The 2015 NBA All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk contest is set for Feb. 14 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, and while my hope for a Vince Carter comeback has been quashed (again), this year’s reported lineup could be interesting.

According to Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski, Milwaukee’s Giannis “Greek Freak” Antetokounmpo and Orlando’s Victor Oladipo have both committed to participate in the contest, while Brooklyn’s Mason Plumlee and Minnesota’s Zach LaVine are also slated to be part of the competition.

LaVine, who has been eager to get in the dunk contest, told The Denver Post before a game at Pepsi Center that he already had his dunks picked out if the NBA came calling. So while the other three brainstorm, here’s a look back at some of the best throw-downs (at least, that we’ve seen):

To those unfamiliar with Zach LaVine, a quick YouTube search will provide an entertaining glimpse of his mind-boggling athleticism, and size. The kid can jump out of the gym, and his natural talents attracted numerous suitors ahead of the June draft.

The Nuggets were one of them.

LaVine worked out for the Nuggets with the hope of landing a roster spot in Denver, but the Nuggets ultimately decided to pass, trading down on draft day and letting the Timberwolves take LaVine.

Ahead of the Wolves’ meeting with the Nuggets at Pepsi Center on Friday, Shaw was asked about that pre-draft workout and his overall impression of LaVine, Minnesota’s starting point guard while Ricky Rubio nurses an ankle injury.

“I think we took as good and as long a look as we could. We were impressed by his workout,” Shaw said. “There were quite a few guys within that range that we looked at. But more so with me, I was just an observer. I’ve always said that whoever we put out on their on the floor, I just want to coach and leave that to the front office. So that’s the direction that they decided to go in, and I think that everyone saw his reaction when he was drafted by the T-Wolves. But I think that now that he’s there, he’s getting an opportunity to play and start, I’m sure he’s happy that he ended up where he is.”Read more…

Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly can go in a number of directions in the NBA draft. (Photo By Andy Cross / The Denver Post)

So what now?

The Nuggets have already filled their biggest need – becoming more dynamic and defensive on the perimeter – with Thursday’s trade for shooting guard Arron Afflalo. Now, onto what they might do with the 11th pick in the draft. The pressure’s off that pick, and the Nuggets now have an opportunity to take a chance they might not have if they didn’t acquire Afflalo.

Editor’s note: This is the third in a series of looks at different players and issues surrounding the Nuggets leading up to the June 26 NBA draft.

The Nuggets have brought in 19 players for pre-draft workouts so far. Only five of those players would be considered with the Nuggets 11th pick, should they keep it. Let’s take a closer look at those players:

Rodney Hood, SF, 6-7, 208, Duke: Hood was the first player brought in to work out in front of coaches; it was a private workout. Hood has tantalizing size for his position and knows how to use it on the offensive end. He was deadly in pick-and-roll situations as the ball-handler. In fact, Hood was one of the primary ball-handlers and decision-makers on Duke’s team. He showed good vision with the ball, was able to pick out the right passes to players ready to score. And then he shot the ball with high accuracy, knocking down 42 percent from the three-point line and 46.4 percent from the field. Hood has the ability to break down defenses and finish in mid-range or at the rim; his height and long arms help immensely in finishing over the trees in the paint. Offensively, there was nothing he did poorly. He’s as versatile a scorer as there is in the draft. Read more…

Chris Dempsey arrived at The Denver Post in Dec. 2003 after seven years at the Boulder Daily Camera, where he primarily covered the University of Colorado football and men's basketball teams. A University of Colorado-Boulder alumnus, Dempsey covers the Nuggets and also chips in on college sports.